| It seems hard to believe but shoulder exercises helped | | | | fitness levels went down and all because of a simple |
| me to get fit and lose weight or should I say helped | | | | shoulder injury. |
| me get back in shape. | | | | I was booked for surgery but it was three months |
| It seems hard to believe but shoulder exercises helped | | | | away so in desperation I started looking into shoulder |
| me to get fit and lose weight or to be more accurate | | | | injuries and their treatment. I discovered that shoulder |
| helped me get back in shape. | | | | exercises feature strongly in most shoulder therapy |
| About a year ago I tore my rotator cuff. Until then I | | | | programmes especially rotator cuff problems. |
| was a reasonably fit person, I went running three times | | | | Your rotator cuff helps to move and stabilise the |
| a week, I had occasional bouts of gym membership, | | | | shoulder joint especially when you rotate your arms or |
| swam once a week, played golf, played squash and | | | | raise them above shoulder height. If you damage your |
| looked after myself pretty well. I was in my early fifties, | | | | rotator cuff it can become inflamed and in some |
| looking good and proud of it. | | | | cases the tendons can become pinched against the |
| And then I managed to tear my rotator cuff. I woke up | | | | shoulder blade. This is what happened in my case. |
| one morning with a sore shoulder. I knew I had hurt it | | | | The idea with shoulder exercises in rotator cuff injuries |
| the day before lifting something awkwardly but had | | | | is to strengthen the shoulder muscles to give extra |
| thought little of it. Over the next few days my shoulder | | | | support to the rotator cuff and allow it to heal. The |
| deteriorated. What started out as a sore shoulder | | | | important thing is to treat the inflammation, resting the |
| became an arm that ached constantly; lifting my arm | | | | shoulder completely to let it start to heal before you try |
| to the side or front caused extra pain. Getting | | | | any exercise. I gave it a go. |
| showered, getting dressed all became difficult. The | | | | By now my shoulders had become quite weak |
| more I used my arm the worse it felt. | | | | through lack of exercise so I began with some simple |
| The gym stopped, swimming was impossible, golf and | | | | stretching exercises aimed at improving mobility, |
| squash both had to stop and finally the running | | | | following up with low resistance, low weight exercises |
| became too painful. Every step caused shooting pains | | | | to begin strengthening the muscles. Gradually over the |
| through my shoulder. | | | | next few weeks I increased the intensity of the |
| I took myself off to the doctor, who diagnosed a | | | | exercises. My shoulder started to get better. I could |
| problem with my rotator cuff and referred me to a | | | | feel it improving and getting stronger as each week |
| specialist. The specialist confirmed a torn rotator cuff | | | | went by. The exercises focused on control and |
| and gave me a steroid injection to ease the | | | | flexibility as well as strength. |
| inflammation and pain. It helped for a while but the pain | | | | I am now back running, have had my first swim and |
| came back. Another steroid injection had the same | | | | even played a round of golf. The surgery is postponed, |
| effect so in the end I was booked for surgery to free | | | | the weight is starting to go and I feel a lot fitter. So |
| up a trapped tendon. | | | | don't underestimate the power of simple shoulder |
| All this was taking time, time in which I was barely able | | | | exercises. They definitely changed my life for the |
| to exercise because of the pain. A gentle walk was | | | | better. |
| about all I could manage. I put on weight, my general | | | | |